Methods and systems for controlling engine operation through data-sharing among vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744980-B2
Application number	US-201514600679-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2015
Priority date	Sep 21, 2011
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems are provided for enhancing engine operation through data-sharing among vehicles. In one embodiment, a method includes determining whether a first value of a first operating parameter produced by a first vehicle is corrupted or unavailable; receiving a second value of the first operating parameter produced by a second vehicle that is proximate to the first vehicle; adjusting the second value by a first adjustment factor, the first adjustment factor based on a first value of a global positioning system (GPS) position of the first vehicle produced by the first vehicle and a second value of a GPS position of the second vehicle produced by the second vehicle; and in response to determining that the first value is corrupted or unavailable, controlling operation of an engine of the first vehicle based on the adjusted second value of the first operating parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining that a first vehicle is operating in a low oxygen state or a high exhaust state based on a received first value of a first operating parameter of a first engine of the first vehicle;
changing a first amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) supplied to the first engine based on the determination that the first vehicle has entered the low oxygen state or the high exhaust state; and
changing a second amount of EGR supplied to the first engine in response to a condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first amount of EGR supplied to the first engine controls an amount of particulate generated and sent to a particulate filter of the first engine during its operation in the low oxygen state or the high exhaust state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second value of a second operating parameter received at the first vehicle is based at least in part on an operating condition of a second vehicle including a second engine, and the first vehicle and second vehicle are coupled together, and wherein changing the first amount of EGR is based further at least in part on the received second value.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining that the first value is corrupted or unavailable and receiving the second value of the second operating parameter from the second engine.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising adjusting the second value based on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle and a vehicle speed of one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second operating parameter is one or both of humidity and ambient pressure.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving a value of oxygen concentration of the second engine at the first vehicle and adjusting operation of the first engine based on the received value of the oxygen concentration, wherein the value of the oxygen concentration is one of an intake oxygen concentration or exhaust oxygen concentration.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting operation of the first engine to initiate regeneration of a particulate filter of the first vehicle before the first vehicle enters the low oxygen state or the high exhaust state.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operating parameter is based on one or more of:
a GPS position,
ambient temperature measurement, or
wayside signal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first amount of EGR and the second amount of EGR includes controlling a position of an EGR valve of the first engine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the EGR valve is disposed in one of a low-pressure EGR system routing EGR from downstream of a turbine to upstream of a compressor or a high-pressure EGR system routing EGR from upstream of a turbine to downstream of a compressor.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low oxygen operating state or the high exhaust ingestion operating state is when the first vehicle is in a tunnel.

13. A system, comprising a controller that is configured to communicate with a device off board a first vehicle, and to determine if the first vehicle is about to enter a low oxygen operating state or a high exhaust ingestion operating state; and
control an EGR amount fed to a first engine of the first vehicle based on the determination.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the device is a controller of a second engine of a second vehicle coupled to the first vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the EGR amount fed to the first engine via controlling a position of an EGR valve positioned in one of a low-pressure or high-pressure EGR system of the first engine.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine if the first vehicle is about to enter the low oxygen operating state or the high exhaust ingestion operating state based on one or more of a GPS position, ambient temperature measurement, or wayside signal received at the controller.

17. A system, comprising:
a first vehicle including a first engine in communication with a second vehicle including a second engine, the second vehicle physically or communicatively coupled to the first vehicle;
a controller including computer-readable memory with instructions stored therein and executable by a processor to:
determine that the first vehicle has entered a low oxygen operating state or a high exhaust ingestion operating state based on a received value of an operating parameter;
decrease an amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) of the first engine based on the determination that the first vehicle has entered the tunnel; and
increase the amount of EGR of the first engine.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein decreasing the amount of EGR includes reducing a likelihood of overwhelming a particulate filter of the first engine so as to reduce a likelihood of increasing emissions while operating the first engine in the low oxygen state or high exhaust ingestion operating state.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the EGR system is one of a high-pressure EGR system and low-pressure EGR system.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first vehicle is proximate to the second vehicle during operation and wherein the received value of the operating parameter is produced by and received from the second vehicle.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Henry Luke
• Lacy Patricia

Classifications

• B61L15/0027

  Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R · CPC title

• B61L25/025

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title

• G07C5/08

  Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time · CPC title

• B61C17/12

  Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units (control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05) · CPC title

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title